Veterans Day Parade to honor Air Force general as grand marshal

With a theme of “A Salute To Those Who Served,” the 15th Annual Long Beach Veterans Day Parade will take place Saturday, Nov. 5 at 10am, with a step-off from Houghton Park to 56th Street and then looping back and returning to the park, where there will be a ceremony honoring veterans. The event will include food and craft booths at Houghton Park until 3pm.
The grand marshal will be General Roger W. Teague, commanding officer of Space and Technology of Los Angeles Air Force Base.
Teague is responsible for assisting the commander in managing the research, design, development, acquisition and sustainment of space and missile systems, launch, command and control, and operational satellite systems. The Space and Missile Systems Center is the nation’s center of technical expertise for military space acquisition with more than 5,000 employees nationwide and an annual budget of $10 billion.
Teague was commissioned in 1986 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. His career includes a broad range of assignments primarily acquiring, operating and supporting space control, missile warning, and communications systems. He has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels. The general was formerly military assistant to the acting secretary of the Air Force. He commanded the 4th Space Operations Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colorado, where he led his unit during launch, test and operational activation of three Milstar communications satellites. He also commanded the Space-Based Infrared Systems (SBIRS) Space Group and the SBIRS Wing. He led the development, launch, test and on-orbit check out of the final Defense Support Program Satellite, the first two SBIRS polar orbiting payloads, and the first SBIRS geosynchronous satellite.
The event will also honor the Merchant Marines and Gold Star Mothers, who are honorary grand marshals.